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Detective Heath Barrington Mystery #1
Death Comes Darkly
Can a detective and a policeman find love amidst murder? Heath Barrington is an attractive, clever, big city detective, confident, strong, and crazy about police officer Alan Keyes. Down-to-earth, noble, and naïve, Alan struggles with his desires for Heath versus 1940s America and his guilty conscience.
Heath’s skills of deduction and reasoning are put to the test as he and Alan work together to solve the murder of an eccentric millionaire in his mysterious, isolated estate. They search for clues and uncover long buried secrets of the weekend guests while keeping secrets of their own.
It’s up to Heath to solve the mystery and convince Alan that some secrets aren’t worth keeping, and lust can lead to love.
Heath’s skills of deduction and reasoning are put to the test as he and Alan work together to solve the murder of an eccentric millionaire in his mysterious, isolated estate. They search for clues and uncover long buried secrets of the weekend guests while keeping secrets of their own.
It’s up to Heath to solve the mystery and convince Alan that some secrets aren’t worth keeping, and lust can lead to love.
240 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2016
13 people are currently reading
224 people want to read
About the author
David S. Pederson
14 books35 followersDavid S. Pederson has written multiple mysteries, all featuring LGBTQ+ characters. He’s a two-time finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Mysteries. His second book, Death Goes Overboard, was selected by the GLBT Round Table of the American Library Association for the 2018 Over the Rainbow book list. Two of his poems, “My Candle” and “I Never Knew” were used in the 2024 OCTC stage production of “Love Notes Cabaret of Words & Music.”
In 2024 he was invited by a local bookstore to conduct a workshop on writing mysteries, with twelve students in attendance.
In 2025 he was asked to write a short mystery to be included in an anthology, “Crime Ink: Iconic — Where Queer Icons Meet Killer Stories”, a collection of crime stories inspired by queer icons.
He’s passionate about mysteries, old movies, ocean liners, and reading.
He, his husband, and their sweet rescue cats reside in the sunny Southwest.
Website: http://www.davidspederson.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidSPeders...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dave.pederson/
In 2024 he was invited by a local bookstore to conduct a workshop on writing mysteries, with twelve students in attendance.
In 2025 he was asked to write a short mystery to be included in an anthology, “Crime Ink: Iconic — Where Queer Icons Meet Killer Stories”, a collection of crime stories inspired by queer icons.
He’s passionate about mysteries, old movies, ocean liners, and reading.
He, his husband, and their sweet rescue cats reside in the sunny Southwest.
Website: http://www.davidspederson.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidSPeders...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dave.pederson/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
April 30, 2016
I don't remember when I read a classic mystery novel the last time, I almost forgot how much I enjoy it. How nice that there are authors who can deliver a solid historic mystery a là Agatha Christie though with its own style and soul.
When detective Heath Barrington got unexpectedly an invitation to spend a weekend at the isolated summer estate of a wealthy industrialist at the Lake Geneva, he couldn't turn it down. Who would?!
"My summer house has eight bedrooms, and though I am inviting other guests, you and your wife would be quite comfortable. If you choose to bring a companion, you would each have your own room."
And so we have here:
a weekend in the isolated summer house at the Lake, that could be reach only by a lake steamera bunch of strange people who don't actually enjoy each other's company too muchBAD weathera DEAD BODYa CUT telephone cable=the one and the only one phone is DEAD too.and a bunch of suspects=the number of guests(except our detective & police officer)
Of course our brave detective and his companion police officer Alan Keyes didn't imagine their mutual weekend in the beautiful natural surroundings of the lake to turn into a murder investigation, but because the local authorities couldn't be reached, they had to act official.
And they did it splendid. Before the local authorities arrived, they solved the case.
I enjoyed this book, and even if there is no steam at all, I didn't miss it. The main focus is set on the mystery and if you LOVE Agatha Christie, you shouldn't miss this one. The writing is very pleasant, the mystery is old-fashioned, but in a good meaning, intriguing plot, well developed characters. I'd like to read more of Heath Barrington and Alan Keyes in the future. This couple has a big potential.
Highly recommended.
**Copy provided by the Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
February 24, 2022
Updated to note that the next book in the series is coming in April of 2017 - Death Goes Overboard. Looking forward to reading it!
4.5 stars. Death Comes Darkly has the feel of a classic Agatha Christie mystery, in which a group of people spend a weekend in a country estate, someone is murdered and everyone is a suspect. Set in 1947 in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, Detective Heath Barrington is invited by Dexter S. Darkly to spend a weekend at his isolated estate. Upon arrival, he meets the ex-Mrs. Darkly, Dexter's daughter and son-in-law, Dexter's brother-in-law from his first marriage, the servants Bishop and Nora, and Harwood Acres, the college roommate and lover of Dexter's son, Nigel, who died 10 years ago (to whom Detective Barrington bears an uncanny resemblance.)
Detective Barrington's +1 is his lover, policeman Alan Keyes, who arrives the next day via train, just in time to help him investigate a murder. Turns out almost everyone had a reason to kill Dexter Darkly, but is the obvious suspect the murderer, or is it a set-up? The author does a wonderful job of unveiling the truth bit by bit, and tosses enough red herrings into the mix to keep the reader guessing until the very end.
Barrington and Keyes' relationship is hinted at, but there are no sex scenes in the book (other than a kiss or two). Also, it appears that Keyes and Barrington have recently met at another murder scene, but as far as I can tell, Death Comes Darkly is the first book by Mr. Pedersen. But even if this is the second book in a series, it works very well as a stand-alone book.
I would rate this book a 4.5 stars, and look forward to reading more by David S. Pederson.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
4.5 stars. Death Comes Darkly has the feel of a classic Agatha Christie mystery, in which a group of people spend a weekend in a country estate, someone is murdered and everyone is a suspect. Set in 1947 in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, Detective Heath Barrington is invited by Dexter S. Darkly to spend a weekend at his isolated estate. Upon arrival, he meets the ex-Mrs. Darkly, Dexter's daughter and son-in-law, Dexter's brother-in-law from his first marriage, the servants Bishop and Nora, and Harwood Acres, the college roommate and lover of Dexter's son, Nigel, who died 10 years ago (to whom Detective Barrington bears an uncanny resemblance.)
Detective Barrington's +1 is his lover, policeman Alan Keyes, who arrives the next day via train, just in time to help him investigate a murder. Turns out almost everyone had a reason to kill Dexter Darkly, but is the obvious suspect the murderer, or is it a set-up? The author does a wonderful job of unveiling the truth bit by bit, and tosses enough red herrings into the mix to keep the reader guessing until the very end.
Barrington and Keyes' relationship is hinted at, but there are no sex scenes in the book (other than a kiss or two). Also, it appears that Keyes and Barrington have recently met at another murder scene, but as far as I can tell, Death Comes Darkly is the first book by Mr. Pedersen. But even if this is the second book in a series, it works very well as a stand-alone book.
I would rate this book a 4.5 stars, and look forward to reading more by David S. Pederson.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews
July 15, 2016
And then there were seven.
Death Comes Darkly
By David S. Pederson
Bold Strokes Books, April 2016
ASIN: B01E66ZEFY
201 pages
Four stars
Charming and witty, this unapologetic homage to Agatha Christie—written not only from an American perspective, but with a gay central character—is a lot of fun.
Heath Barrington is a Milwaukee police detective. His sweetheart is a Milwaukee cop, Alan Keyes. While conscious of the dangers of being gay in late-1940s America, these men are comfortable in their own skins. They play discreet, know all the proper rules for survival, and manage to maintain flirtatious banter on a par with the actors in a George Cukor film. Barrington is a good detective, to boot, not to mention a snappy dresser.
Invited to a weekend party at an isolated summer mansion on Lake Geneva in Wisconsin, Heath and Alan become embroiled in a mysterious murder in a creepy house full of twitchy characters. The references to contemporary noir detective films and mystery novels are explicit, as Heath and Alan marvel that they’ve gotten caught up in something like this. But there’s a darker side to the plot, also linked to love between two young men, which serves as a reminder that Heath and Alan are still swimming upstream in a very hostile world.
Those of us children of Stonewall who grew up reading Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers, will appreciate both the Americanization and the out-and-cautiously-proud demeanor of Pederson’s book. While Pederson might paint Barrington’s world view with a rosy brush, I’ve no doubt that there were young gay men in America in 1947 who managed to avoid the worst of the oppression and despair that loomed so darkly over LGBT folks before the concept of LGBT existed.
This is not one of those romances where there’s a lot of hot action. It is true to its genre, and what we see is young men falling in love and not being afraid. That’s really more than enough.
I sure hope this is just the first in a series of Heath Barrington stories.
Death Comes Darkly
By David S. Pederson
Bold Strokes Books, April 2016
ASIN: B01E66ZEFY
201 pages
Four stars
Charming and witty, this unapologetic homage to Agatha Christie—written not only from an American perspective, but with a gay central character—is a lot of fun.
Heath Barrington is a Milwaukee police detective. His sweetheart is a Milwaukee cop, Alan Keyes. While conscious of the dangers of being gay in late-1940s America, these men are comfortable in their own skins. They play discreet, know all the proper rules for survival, and manage to maintain flirtatious banter on a par with the actors in a George Cukor film. Barrington is a good detective, to boot, not to mention a snappy dresser.
Invited to a weekend party at an isolated summer mansion on Lake Geneva in Wisconsin, Heath and Alan become embroiled in a mysterious murder in a creepy house full of twitchy characters. The references to contemporary noir detective films and mystery novels are explicit, as Heath and Alan marvel that they’ve gotten caught up in something like this. But there’s a darker side to the plot, also linked to love between two young men, which serves as a reminder that Heath and Alan are still swimming upstream in a very hostile world.
Those of us children of Stonewall who grew up reading Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers, will appreciate both the Americanization and the out-and-cautiously-proud demeanor of Pederson’s book. While Pederson might paint Barrington’s world view with a rosy brush, I’ve no doubt that there were young gay men in America in 1947 who managed to avoid the worst of the oppression and despair that loomed so darkly over LGBT folks before the concept of LGBT existed.
This is not one of those romances where there’s a lot of hot action. It is true to its genre, and what we see is young men falling in love and not being afraid. That’s really more than enough.
I sure hope this is just the first in a series of Heath Barrington stories.
March 7, 2017
Murder during a house party in a secluded country house complete with a M. Poirot style denument at the finale, you know the one, where all the suspects are gathered around and the 'detective' exposes his theories.
While Pederson's style is very 'tell' rather than show and quite boy scouty, it still kept me interested in reading to see what path he was going to take at the end.
May 2, 2016
A lovely to read mystery in a classic whodunnit style.
I enjoyed this. It reminds me of the Agatha Christie style mysteries where there is a group of people gathered in a house, or a train, or village; all of whom have the motive to murder, and any one of them have the opportunity to do it.
But instead of Inspector Poirot and Hastings we have Detective Heath Barrington and his friend and fellow policeman Alan Keyes. Well Alan is more than a friend because not only is there a murder but there is also an illicit gentle and hidden romance and not just between Alan and Heath,
This is 1940's America and Heath having solved a recent crime hits the headlines. This publicity brings him to the notice of Mr Darkly who invites Heath to come and stay in his remote home on the shores of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and Heath can bring a friend. So Heath invites Alan to join him, looking forward to spending some time in the man's company and getting to know the strange Mr Darkly who has invited him to stay out of the blue.
And he does get to know him but not in the way he expects. Heath encounters an odd group of people at the house. Some have been invited and one has invited himself. They each have a grudge against Mr Darkly but Darkly has set this weekend up so that he can make amends, or so they think.
And then it happens! Murder is afoot and resentments and grudges from the past are revealed. There is no way off the island and no communication with the outside world. And so with Alan by his side Heath begins to do what he does best, gathering clues and solving murders.
This was an enjoyable mystery with an even pace. I found it interesting enough, but I wouldn't describe it as thrilling. If you like Agatha Christie then you will definitely like this. I did enjoy the fact that I couldn't guess who the murderer was and I liked the big reveal at the end. Should this turn out to be a series I would definitely read the next story.
Copy provided by Bold Stroke Books via NetGalley in exchange for a review.
I enjoyed this. It reminds me of the Agatha Christie style mysteries where there is a group of people gathered in a house, or a train, or village; all of whom have the motive to murder, and any one of them have the opportunity to do it.
But instead of Inspector Poirot and Hastings we have Detective Heath Barrington and his friend and fellow policeman Alan Keyes. Well Alan is more than a friend because not only is there a murder but there is also an illicit gentle and hidden romance and not just between Alan and Heath,
This is 1940's America and Heath having solved a recent crime hits the headlines. This publicity brings him to the notice of Mr Darkly who invites Heath to come and stay in his remote home on the shores of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and Heath can bring a friend. So Heath invites Alan to join him, looking forward to spending some time in the man's company and getting to know the strange Mr Darkly who has invited him to stay out of the blue.
And he does get to know him but not in the way he expects. Heath encounters an odd group of people at the house. Some have been invited and one has invited himself. They each have a grudge against Mr Darkly but Darkly has set this weekend up so that he can make amends, or so they think.
And then it happens! Murder is afoot and resentments and grudges from the past are revealed. There is no way off the island and no communication with the outside world. And so with Alan by his side Heath begins to do what he does best, gathering clues and solving murders.
This was an enjoyable mystery with an even pace. I found it interesting enough, but I wouldn't describe it as thrilling. If you like Agatha Christie then you will definitely like this. I did enjoy the fact that I couldn't guess who the murderer was and I liked the big reveal at the end. Should this turn out to be a series I would definitely read the next story.
Copy provided by Bold Stroke Books via NetGalley in exchange for a review.
June 18, 2016
Agatha Christie meets gay Cluedo - LOL! No seriously, I really enjoyed this book a lot. Why? Well, first of all it was a thoroughly entertaining read from beginning to end. A detective story in the best Agatha Christie tradition with all the trimmings. Detective Heath Barrington is invited to a weekend at a country residence by a billionaire after he saw a report about the successful conclusion of Heath’s last case. Heath needing a break decides to go with his lover who is also a policeman from the same precinct.
When he arrives he finds a mismatched collection of guests who all have a grievance to bear with their host as he quickly finds out and wonders why he is invited. This whole historical set up I loved, a big, old, isolated country house, a butler and housekeeper who are a husband and wife team. A somewhat cranky and eccentric host and the guests. All holed up in this house for a weekend, Sound familiar? Well I did start having visions of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None as far as the setting goes, but there the similarities end. So why have all these guests been invited? Are they there because Mr Darkly wants to make amends for his past? Well, it’s not very long before a death occurs in the house and Heath soon suspects foul play. I was thrown into a detective story of the best kind. No huge shoot outs, action scenes with stunts and wild chases in fast cars, but treated to a true detective story à la Columbo! Powers of deduction is what is needed and Heath has this in oodles but he has a secret and that is he is gay. Not an easy thing to be in the 1940s so that’s one thing he needs to keep under wraps also his relationship with his partner, policeman Alan Keyes.However, one of the guests has a very sharp and acute gaydar and susses him out, but as of this time the respect not to out is there due to the trouble you could cause for yourself and others. But what happens when they become a suspect? Does this mean they can blackmail the detective? This adds a whole other twist to solving this mystery and the murder.
This book is first and foremost a gay themed, historical, detective story which is plot driven. The main theme is on the murder mystery and not the erotic. But adding in the gay angle then it introduces a whole new set of dynamics to the traditional detective story. This I LOVED as it makes a refreshing change for me to read something without continuous bedroom scenes. I could throw myself into sleuthing with Heath, trying to work out “who dunnit” as he goes after the clues and the murderer. As I said, it is a real treat to read a detective story which is in the best tradition of Agatha Christie and Columbo. Even at the end of the story everyone is called into the drawing room and Heath announces who the murder is. Did I guess? Yes! It was Miss Scarlet in the library with the dagger - LOL! Seriously though, I kind of guessed but the twist as to how, no I didn’t see coming. So if you’re up for a bit of detective work with a handsome, gay detective and a his partner, not only at work but in life, with a super historical setting then I can thoroughly recommend this book by David S. Pederson.
When he arrives he finds a mismatched collection of guests who all have a grievance to bear with their host as he quickly finds out and wonders why he is invited. This whole historical set up I loved, a big, old, isolated country house, a butler and housekeeper who are a husband and wife team. A somewhat cranky and eccentric host and the guests. All holed up in this house for a weekend, Sound familiar? Well I did start having visions of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None as far as the setting goes, but there the similarities end. So why have all these guests been invited? Are they there because Mr Darkly wants to make amends for his past? Well, it’s not very long before a death occurs in the house and Heath soon suspects foul play. I was thrown into a detective story of the best kind. No huge shoot outs, action scenes with stunts and wild chases in fast cars, but treated to a true detective story à la Columbo! Powers of deduction is what is needed and Heath has this in oodles but he has a secret and that is he is gay. Not an easy thing to be in the 1940s so that’s one thing he needs to keep under wraps also his relationship with his partner, policeman Alan Keyes.However, one of the guests has a very sharp and acute gaydar and susses him out, but as of this time the respect not to out is there due to the trouble you could cause for yourself and others. But what happens when they become a suspect? Does this mean they can blackmail the detective? This adds a whole other twist to solving this mystery and the murder.
This book is first and foremost a gay themed, historical, detective story which is plot driven. The main theme is on the murder mystery and not the erotic. But adding in the gay angle then it introduces a whole new set of dynamics to the traditional detective story. This I LOVED as it makes a refreshing change for me to read something without continuous bedroom scenes. I could throw myself into sleuthing with Heath, trying to work out “who dunnit” as he goes after the clues and the murderer. As I said, it is a real treat to read a detective story which is in the best tradition of Agatha Christie and Columbo. Even at the end of the story everyone is called into the drawing room and Heath announces who the murder is. Did I guess? Yes! It was Miss Scarlet in the library with the dagger - LOL! Seriously though, I kind of guessed but the twist as to how, no I didn’t see coming. So if you’re up for a bit of detective work with a handsome, gay detective and a his partner, not only at work but in life, with a super historical setting then I can thoroughly recommend this book by David S. Pederson.
December 4, 2016
When Detective Heath Barrington makes the headlines for solving a crime, he captures the attention of philanthropist Dexter Darkly. Heath is invited to Mr. Darkly’s estate on Lake Geneva, and has a chance to bring a companion with him. He invites police officer and love interest, Alan Keys, with the hope of getting to know Alan better.
Mr. Darkly wants to make amends so has also invited various relatives, exes and in-laws to his estate for the weekend—and there’s one guest who has invited himself. Then, a murder happens and Heath and Alan find themselves in the middle of a puzzle with a multitude of suspects, all pointing the blame at each other.
Detective Barrington, is confident, strong and clever; and Alan is a little shy, naive and loyal. They both care deeply for each other and make a great sleuthing team. Death Comes Darkly is a nicely written, classic murder mystery from David Pederson. The author gives detailed description of the 1940s along with the sights of Lake Geneva. If you really enjoy the murder mystery genre and appreciate the author Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, or even the game Clue, this book will not disappoint. There are clues in abundance as well as shared scenarios between Heath and Keyes. This was a very entertaining read, and I’m excited for Mr. Pederson to create another mystery for Heath and Alan to solve.
Reviewed by Maryann for The Novel Approach Reviews
Mr. Darkly wants to make amends so has also invited various relatives, exes and in-laws to his estate for the weekend—and there’s one guest who has invited himself. Then, a murder happens and Heath and Alan find themselves in the middle of a puzzle with a multitude of suspects, all pointing the blame at each other.
Detective Barrington, is confident, strong and clever; and Alan is a little shy, naive and loyal. They both care deeply for each other and make a great sleuthing team. Death Comes Darkly is a nicely written, classic murder mystery from David Pederson. The author gives detailed description of the 1940s along with the sights of Lake Geneva. If you really enjoy the murder mystery genre and appreciate the author Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, or even the game Clue, this book will not disappoint. There are clues in abundance as well as shared scenarios between Heath and Keyes. This was a very entertaining read, and I’m excited for Mr. Pederson to create another mystery for Heath and Alan to solve.
Reviewed by Maryann for The Novel Approach Reviews
April 27, 2016
It's 1947 America and Detective Heath Barrington is invited for the weekend to a secluded house with several other guests. Then one of them is found dead.
Took a while for the death to appear in the story, before this there did seem to be a lot of description and not a lot happening. An easy read
A NetGalley book
Took a while for the death to appear in the story, before this there did seem to be a lot of description and not a lot happening. An easy read
A NetGalley book
July 6, 2016
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books in exchange for a honest review.
My first book by this author and first MM book I’ve read through Bold Strokes Books.
I was going to add a comment about how I normally read lesbian romance fiction through Bold Strokes Books, both in relation to the MM nature of the book, and to the mystery. But then I looked it up. I’ve read at least 14 mysteries through Bold Strokes Books – granted the vast majority of those books are in one series, the Micky Knight series.
The Characters
The book is from the point of view of one Heath Barrington. If this was a romance I’d probably include a large amount of information about each character. Though, I’d probably just be talking about two characters, not all of them of importance. But since this is a mystery, and each little fact might be an important clue, my character descriptions will have to be relatively bare bones.
Heath Barrington - a police detective from Milwaukee. The reader learns relatively early on that Heath: (1) missed WWII because a) flat foot; b) was in the police force during the war; (2) is a gay man who is a) not out to his family or others; but b) has had homosexual relationships; and c) really, and I mean really, enjoys gazing lustfully upon the features of other men. The book opens with Heath in the last stages of getting ready to head off to Lake Geneva – he had been invited to go there by a rich stranger who indicated that he wanted to meet Heath – implication being that it’s related to Heath’s one police investigation, which he had just completed.
Significant other connections : Talks with his mother on the phone; father alive as well, though he is only mentioned; there’s an aunt – sister of his mother, who the reader is given to understand is more sophisticated than her sister; and there’s a boyfriend named Alan Keyes. But he’ll have his own little paragraph.
Alan Keyes - police officer in Milwaukee. Is, apparently, dating Heath Barrington, though the relationship is new-ish (they seemed to have a longer term relationship at the start of the book, but then things started popping up indicating that their relationship was actually of a much more recent occurrence). He gets his own little paragraph because he makes an appearance in Lake Geneva – he’s Heath’s plus one.
Dexter Darkly - a rich old man who has invited a bunch of people to his lake house for a weekend. He is, in his way, this books Mr. Boddy – the host in the film Clue who invited a bunch of people to his house, though all his visitors, it would appear, hate their host. In this case, Dexter’s invitations went to family members, and to a police detective. Everyone, though, but for the police, the butler, and the cook know each other. Unlike in Clue.
Significant other connections : Basically everyone he invited, plus Nigel Darkly – his favorite offspring; Constance Darkly – his first wife.
Harwood ‘Woody’ Acres - a young man who had been a ‘special’ friend of Nigel Darkly – Dexter’s son. Dexter drove off Woody as he didn’t think he was a good influence on his son. He received an invitation, like some of the others, and decided to attend the weekend festivities.
Significant other connections : Nigel Darkly – his dead gay lover (well, they were lovers when Nigel was alive; I didn’t mean to imply that Nigel was a vampire or anything like that, because he isn’t).
Lorraine Darkly - Dexter’s second wife. They divorced about 2 or so years ago. Received an invitation to attend the weekend events.
Violet Darkly Atwater - Dexter’s bitter daughter who had spent ten years on earth before her brother Nigel appeared. She was never in her father’s ‘good graces’, since she’s a girl, but she definitely got displaced completely when Nigel came along. She has kids and is married to Dr. Acres. Dexter didn’t attend the wedding, and it isn’t super clear, but I think Dexter has never met his daughter’s children.
Dr. Preston Atwater - Violet’s husband, a medical doctor, and not formally invited by Dexter to visit during the weekend (the invitation was to Violet Darkly, not Violet Atwater).
Mr. Donovan Doubleday - Dexter Darkly’s brother-in-law, brother of Dexter’s first wife Constance. Was not formally invited to the weekend events by Dexter, but by his niece Violet.
Henry and Nora Bishop - somewhat elderly butler and cook, who had just joined Darkly’s employee shortly before winterizing the house. In which they also lived during the winter, by themselves, to ‘watch over it’.
The Setting
The year is 1947. The place is Lake Geneva. I’m not exactly sure where that is located, though it appears to be within shortish train rides from Milwaukee and Chicago (possibly Lake Geneva Wisconsin). The ‘summer people’ normally turn up in the summer, specifically on or after Memorial Day.
Dexter Darkly, though, has invited a group of people for a weekend visit before the official start of the season. So things are, as would be expected, colder than normal. And the house wasn’t built to be a year round house. Most of the action in the book takes place in that house (or surrounding it).
The Mystery
With the set-up being the way it is, the murder victim should be clear as day, eh? There is a gathering of people at a lake house. Everyone, except supposedly the butler, cook, and the two police officers, has a motive – and a hatred of the owner of that house. Naturally, that means that the owner is the one who died. And everyone had opportunity and means.
There’s a storm that hit around the time the murder occurred, and outside communication, as it tends to do in these types of books, has been cut off for a short period of time (a night? Longer?).
So there is a murder. Due to the circumstances of the events, there are a limited number of possible suspects. All but four have stated motives (the husband of Violet, Dr. Acres, has a less visible motive but is the husband of Dexter’s daughter (implication being that whatever motive that Violet might have could conceivably be stretched to include the husband; or, you know, being the husband of the rich Dexter Darkly’s only living offspring could be a motive in and of itself). Those four without obvious motives being Heath Barrington, Alan Keyes, Nora & Henry Bishop. Those with obvious motives include Woody Acres, Violet Atwater, and Lorraine Darkly. Those with slightly less obvious motives would include Dr. Atwater, and Mr. Donovan Doubleday.
Just like I mentioned the film Clue in another section, there’s a vaguely strong vibe coming off the book for various reasons. Gathering of people who hate the host. Storm outside. Certain identity questions. Etc. But then again, there was also a vague vibe of Ten Little Indians by Agatha Christie, at least there was before I started. A gathering of people to a remote location. Cut off for a certain amount of time. Death descends . . . except there’s less death here than I’d expect so that wipes that connection, eh?
The Police Work
Fiction of a certain era, the 1920s Golden Age, had a tendency to include a scene wherein the police talk in front of a crowd of suspects. Various ways that can come about, but they tended to do that when they wished to ‘reveal’ what happened, or – more often, wished to get a suspect to do or say something revealing. The point is that they already have the facts. There is a purpose to their madness, so to speak.
The idea of interviewing witnesses/suspects separate from one another was a concept known by 1947. At least in fiction. I know, because I’ve read books from before then (written before then; not referring to books set before then) that made a point of having separate interviews.
I mention because the very first interview, if I recall the sequence right, was a joint one. Involving both Nora and Henry Bishop (butler and cook – married to each other). Then some separate interviews, then an interview conducted before all parties during dinner – including in said interview those who had not yet had a discussion with the out-of-jurisdiction police (Heath Barrington and Alan Keyes are police in Milwaukee not Lake Geneva). And the thing you would expect to happen, happened – well, one of the things, a conflict broke out with people pointing fingers and the like. What do you expect if you start a discussion like that at dinner? (note: I mentioned that dramatic ‘reveal’ in the drawing room type of thing that occurred in 1920s books, well I didn’t mean to imply, by mentioning the dinner group interview, that the dramatic reveal did or didn’t occur. I think I’m being pointlessly cryptic there.)
Poor police work there. *shrugs* I don’t know, there’s a point of mentioning that Barrington has had only one case as a detective. Maybe he’s just really green?
That group interview thing gets repeated more than once. Annoying that. More police work appears much more in line with what I expect. That group interview thing, though, reads like something someone saw in a film or read in an old book (‘I strode about the room amongst them as I spoke. I’d seen a detective do that in a movie once.’ – location 2753 of 3140). Mmphs.
Overall
The book didn’t immediately pull me in, but there were definitely moments when I felt drawn into the action/events. Vaguely confusing about the number of gay men bouncing around in the book. Heath’s there because he’s the star of the show; Alan gets pulled in because he’s Heath’s ‘plus one’ for the weekend vacation at Lake Geneva. But then there’s also the dead son Nigel, and Nigel’s ‘special friend’ Woody Acres. I believe that’s four more than I usually encounter in mysteries set in the early part of the 20th century.
Moving on to the mystery – it’s well written for what it is. Intriguing even. It’s relatively thin, but still, you don’t need a whole lot to create a mystery novel. Some odd choices by the guy unofficially playing detective, sure he is a police detective, but not in that jurisdiction.
Overall . . . . you know how I keep mentioning the film Clue? Well, I have good reason for doing so. Complicated book, it was. Interesting. Enjoyable. Readable and entertaining. And if this actually is a start to a series, I’d read the next.
March 8 2016
My first book by this author and first MM book I’ve read through Bold Strokes Books.
I was going to add a comment about how I normally read lesbian romance fiction through Bold Strokes Books, both in relation to the MM nature of the book, and to the mystery. But then I looked it up. I’ve read at least 14 mysteries through Bold Strokes Books – granted the vast majority of those books are in one series, the Micky Knight series.
The Characters
The book is from the point of view of one Heath Barrington. If this was a romance I’d probably include a large amount of information about each character. Though, I’d probably just be talking about two characters, not all of them of importance. But since this is a mystery, and each little fact might be an important clue, my character descriptions will have to be relatively bare bones.
Heath Barrington - a police detective from Milwaukee. The reader learns relatively early on that Heath: (1) missed WWII because a) flat foot; b) was in the police force during the war; (2) is a gay man who is a) not out to his family or others; but b) has had homosexual relationships; and c) really, and I mean really, enjoys gazing lustfully upon the features of other men. The book opens with Heath in the last stages of getting ready to head off to Lake Geneva – he had been invited to go there by a rich stranger who indicated that he wanted to meet Heath – implication being that it’s related to Heath’s one police investigation, which he had just completed.
Significant other connections : Talks with his mother on the phone; father alive as well, though he is only mentioned; there’s an aunt – sister of his mother, who the reader is given to understand is more sophisticated than her sister; and there’s a boyfriend named Alan Keyes. But he’ll have his own little paragraph.
Alan Keyes - police officer in Milwaukee. Is, apparently, dating Heath Barrington, though the relationship is new-ish (they seemed to have a longer term relationship at the start of the book, but then things started popping up indicating that their relationship was actually of a much more recent occurrence). He gets his own little paragraph because he makes an appearance in Lake Geneva – he’s Heath’s plus one.
Dexter Darkly - a rich old man who has invited a bunch of people to his lake house for a weekend. He is, in his way, this books Mr. Boddy – the host in the film Clue who invited a bunch of people to his house, though all his visitors, it would appear, hate their host. In this case, Dexter’s invitations went to family members, and to a police detective. Everyone, though, but for the police, the butler, and the cook know each other. Unlike in Clue.
Significant other connections : Basically everyone he invited, plus Nigel Darkly – his favorite offspring; Constance Darkly – his first wife.
Harwood ‘Woody’ Acres - a young man who had been a ‘special’ friend of Nigel Darkly – Dexter’s son. Dexter drove off Woody as he didn’t think he was a good influence on his son. He received an invitation, like some of the others, and decided to attend the weekend festivities.
Significant other connections : Nigel Darkly – his dead gay lover (well, they were lovers when Nigel was alive; I didn’t mean to imply that Nigel was a vampire or anything like that, because he isn’t).
Lorraine Darkly - Dexter’s second wife. They divorced about 2 or so years ago. Received an invitation to attend the weekend events.
Violet Darkly Atwater - Dexter’s bitter daughter who had spent ten years on earth before her brother Nigel appeared. She was never in her father’s ‘good graces’, since she’s a girl, but she definitely got displaced completely when Nigel came along. She has kids and is married to Dr. Acres. Dexter didn’t attend the wedding, and it isn’t super clear, but I think Dexter has never met his daughter’s children.
Dr. Preston Atwater - Violet’s husband, a medical doctor, and not formally invited by Dexter to visit during the weekend (the invitation was to Violet Darkly, not Violet Atwater).
Mr. Donovan Doubleday - Dexter Darkly’s brother-in-law, brother of Dexter’s first wife Constance. Was not formally invited to the weekend events by Dexter, but by his niece Violet.
Henry and Nora Bishop - somewhat elderly butler and cook, who had just joined Darkly’s employee shortly before winterizing the house. In which they also lived during the winter, by themselves, to ‘watch over it’.
The Setting
The year is 1947. The place is Lake Geneva. I’m not exactly sure where that is located, though it appears to be within shortish train rides from Milwaukee and Chicago (possibly Lake Geneva Wisconsin). The ‘summer people’ normally turn up in the summer, specifically on or after Memorial Day.
Dexter Darkly, though, has invited a group of people for a weekend visit before the official start of the season. So things are, as would be expected, colder than normal. And the house wasn’t built to be a year round house. Most of the action in the book takes place in that house (or surrounding it).
The Mystery
With the set-up being the way it is, the murder victim should be clear as day, eh? There is a gathering of people at a lake house. Everyone, except supposedly the butler, cook, and the two police officers, has a motive – and a hatred of the owner of that house. Naturally, that means that the owner is the one who died. And everyone had opportunity and means.
There’s a storm that hit around the time the murder occurred, and outside communication, as it tends to do in these types of books, has been cut off for a short period of time (a night? Longer?).
So there is a murder. Due to the circumstances of the events, there are a limited number of possible suspects. All but four have stated motives (the husband of Violet, Dr. Acres, has a less visible motive but is the husband of Dexter’s daughter (implication being that whatever motive that Violet might have could conceivably be stretched to include the husband; or, you know, being the husband of the rich Dexter Darkly’s only living offspring could be a motive in and of itself). Those four without obvious motives being Heath Barrington, Alan Keyes, Nora & Henry Bishop. Those with obvious motives include Woody Acres, Violet Atwater, and Lorraine Darkly. Those with slightly less obvious motives would include Dr. Atwater, and Mr. Donovan Doubleday.
Just like I mentioned the film Clue in another section, there’s a vaguely strong vibe coming off the book for various reasons. Gathering of people who hate the host. Storm outside. Certain identity questions. Etc. But then again, there was also a vague vibe of Ten Little Indians by Agatha Christie, at least there was before I started. A gathering of people to a remote location. Cut off for a certain amount of time. Death descends . . . except there’s less death here than I’d expect so that wipes that connection, eh?
The Police Work
Fiction of a certain era, the 1920s Golden Age, had a tendency to include a scene wherein the police talk in front of a crowd of suspects. Various ways that can come about, but they tended to do that when they wished to ‘reveal’ what happened, or – more often, wished to get a suspect to do or say something revealing. The point is that they already have the facts. There is a purpose to their madness, so to speak.
The idea of interviewing witnesses/suspects separate from one another was a concept known by 1947. At least in fiction. I know, because I’ve read books from before then (written before then; not referring to books set before then) that made a point of having separate interviews.
I mention because the very first interview, if I recall the sequence right, was a joint one. Involving both Nora and Henry Bishop (butler and cook – married to each other). Then some separate interviews, then an interview conducted before all parties during dinner – including in said interview those who had not yet had a discussion with the out-of-jurisdiction police (Heath Barrington and Alan Keyes are police in Milwaukee not Lake Geneva). And the thing you would expect to happen, happened – well, one of the things, a conflict broke out with people pointing fingers and the like. What do you expect if you start a discussion like that at dinner? (note: I mentioned that dramatic ‘reveal’ in the drawing room type of thing that occurred in 1920s books, well I didn’t mean to imply, by mentioning the dinner group interview, that the dramatic reveal did or didn’t occur. I think I’m being pointlessly cryptic there.)
Poor police work there. *shrugs* I don’t know, there’s a point of mentioning that Barrington has had only one case as a detective. Maybe he’s just really green?
That group interview thing gets repeated more than once. Annoying that. More police work appears much more in line with what I expect. That group interview thing, though, reads like something someone saw in a film or read in an old book (‘I strode about the room amongst them as I spoke. I’d seen a detective do that in a movie once.’ – location 2753 of 3140). Mmphs.
Overall
The book didn’t immediately pull me in, but there were definitely moments when I felt drawn into the action/events. Vaguely confusing about the number of gay men bouncing around in the book. Heath’s there because he’s the star of the show; Alan gets pulled in because he’s Heath’s ‘plus one’ for the weekend vacation at Lake Geneva. But then there’s also the dead son Nigel, and Nigel’s ‘special friend’ Woody Acres. I believe that’s four more than I usually encounter in mysteries set in the early part of the 20th century.
Moving on to the mystery – it’s well written for what it is. Intriguing even. It’s relatively thin, but still, you don’t need a whole lot to create a mystery novel. Some odd choices by the guy unofficially playing detective, sure he is a police detective, but not in that jurisdiction.
Overall . . . . you know how I keep mentioning the film Clue? Well, I have good reason for doing so. Complicated book, it was. Interesting. Enjoyable. Readable and entertaining. And if this actually is a start to a series, I’d read the next.
March 8 2016
February 14, 2020
Detective Barrington is invited by a rich man to spend the weekend at his summer house. Even as he doesn't know this man from Adam, he not only accepts, but he invites his male lover to join him. This is the 40s, so... yeah... not very likely.
When he arrives, he discovers he is the only one who isn't somehow related to the host, and none of the guests is in friendly terms with him. And, of course, the next day, the host is dead, and poison is involved.
I had some issues with the book: the dialogues are stilted, with the names of the characters repeating in every sentence; the story-line predictable; and I kept feeling that there was something I was missing. I got the feeling that this was the second book in the series, and the one with the case everybody was talking about, and in which Detective Heath Barrington and police officer Alan Keyes met was the one I had missed. *shrugs*
Don't get me wrong, is not a bad book, but is not a particularly good one, either. I might read another book by this author, but not soon.
When he arrives, he discovers he is the only one who isn't somehow related to the host, and none of the guests is in friendly terms with him. And, of course, the next day, the host is dead, and poison is involved.
I had some issues with the book: the dialogues are stilted, with the names of the characters repeating in every sentence; the story-line predictable; and I kept feeling that there was something I was missing. I got the feeling that this was the second book in the series, and the one with the case everybody was talking about, and in which Detective Heath Barrington and police officer Alan Keyes met was the one I had missed. *shrugs*
Don't get me wrong, is not a bad book, but is not a particularly good one, either. I might read another book by this author, but not soon.
July 28, 2016
If you like “Agatha Christie” types of mysteries you will love this book. Set in the post World War II 1940s, closeted gay detective Heath Barrington sets out to solve the murder of a reclusive, wealthy man at a secluded lake house. The plot contains all the elements of a good Christie mystery - a set of eccentric suspects who all have a motive for murder, a forbidding location that soon gets cut off from outside contact and a dashing, intelligent detective present to solve the mystery. Other reviewers on here have covered the characters and plot in far more detail than I would, so I’ll just say that I loved the way dialog was used to develop characters as well as move the story along. The ending twist to the murder’s solution was completely unexpected and well done! I also especially liked the novel’s handling of what it was like to be a closeted gay man during this time period. I recently heard Mr. Pederson speak about his book in Milwaukee, and he is supposed to have a sequel published sometime next year. I’m looking forward to it!
June 30, 2016
Can a detective and a policeman find love amidst murder? Heath Barrington is an attractive, clever, big city detective, confident, strong, and crazy about police officer Alan Keyes. Down-to-earth, noble, and naïve, Alan struggles with his desires for Heath versus 1940s America and his guilty conscience.
Heath’s skills of deduction and reasoning are put to the test as he and Alan work together to solve the murder of an eccentric millionaire in his mysterious, isolated estate. They search for clues and uncover long buried secrets of the weekend guests while keeping secrets of their own.
It’s up to Heath to solve the mystery and convince Alan that some secrets aren’t worth keeping, and lust can lead to love.
Heath’s skills of deduction and reasoning are put to the test as he and Alan work together to solve the murder of an eccentric millionaire in his mysterious, isolated estate. They search for clues and uncover long buried secrets of the weekend guests while keeping secrets of their own.
It’s up to Heath to solve the mystery and convince Alan that some secrets aren’t worth keeping, and lust can lead to love.
July 30, 2016
I didn't enjoy this as much as I had anticipated from reading the synopsis and the reviews. Most mysteries leave me trying to guess the killer right up to the very end but I can honestly say I knew what was going on here almost from the beginning.
July 27, 2018
Don't think I ever finished this. Got lost in the tedium of descriptions, too many descriptions.
Murder mystery by numbers it lacked life.
Murder mystery by numbers it lacked life.
February 23, 2024
Undeniably, this book has its faults: the descriptions can be prosaic and the dialogue over-expositional and perfunctory. However, it also has a high likeability factor, due not just to the appealing lead characters, Detective Heath Barrington and his lover, Officer Alan Keyes, but also to the writer’s evident love of ‘mysteries, old movies, and crime novels.’ That phrase is lifted from the About the Author section at the end, but I didn’t need to get nearly that far to recognize his enthusiasm. Since I also love those things, I was predisposed to like this recreation, especially given its same-sex twist.
David S. Pederson was brought up in Wisconsin, and his enjoyment in bringing to life a 1947 version of his home state is apparent throughout. I know nothing about Wisconsin, and it was a pleasure to read a detective story set in an unusual locale, rather than the familiar New York or Los Angeles. An isolated house on a lake, really only accessible by boat: okay, I know it’s not exactly a new-minted situation, but it appealed to me: I could almost see it in black and white with music by Alfred Newman. By the way, anyone expecting a tale influenced by film noir will be backfooted: it is, despite the murder the two policemen find themselves investigating, too cheerful for that.
I know that this was a debut effort and the first in a series, and look forward to subsequent books to see how the men’s relationship and Pederson’s writing skills develop. Incidentally, so palpable is the author’s love of old movies, I began to cast it for a film version: if one had been produced in 1947, I would have assigned the following actors:
Cornel Wilde as Heath Barrington
Bill Williams as Alan Keyes
John Dall as Harwood Acres
Claire Trevor as Mrs Darkley
David S. Pederson was brought up in Wisconsin, and his enjoyment in bringing to life a 1947 version of his home state is apparent throughout. I know nothing about Wisconsin, and it was a pleasure to read a detective story set in an unusual locale, rather than the familiar New York or Los Angeles. An isolated house on a lake, really only accessible by boat: okay, I know it’s not exactly a new-minted situation, but it appealed to me: I could almost see it in black and white with music by Alfred Newman. By the way, anyone expecting a tale influenced by film noir will be backfooted: it is, despite the murder the two policemen find themselves investigating, too cheerful for that.
I know that this was a debut effort and the first in a series, and look forward to subsequent books to see how the men’s relationship and Pederson’s writing skills develop. Incidentally, so palpable is the author’s love of old movies, I began to cast it for a film version: if one had been produced in 1947, I would have assigned the following actors:
Cornel Wilde as Heath Barrington
Bill Williams as Alan Keyes
John Dall as Harwood Acres
Claire Trevor as Mrs Darkley
August 4, 2023
This story is told in first person by Heath Barrington a detective in 1940s Milwaukee who has been invited by a mysterious benefactor to a weekend retreat at his lake house in Lake Geneva. He invites policeman Alan Keyes to be his plus one though he is introduced as a close friend since there are many reasons to hide their relationship during the times. The book is not steamy nor is it all that romantic.
I found the dialogue in the first couple of chapters to be a stilted, but then the tone either evened out or I got used to it. It does take place in the forties so people would speak with a more formal cadence. It was also a bit wordy in its descriptions of even the most minute details, but at the same time I enjoyed those descriptions, especially those of the time period. For instance, the whole process for making a long-distance phone call, all the operators and relays and discussions on charges. While I’m old enough to be aware of a lot of these details having used a party line as a child, I’m sure that younger readers may not be privy to all the hoops that had to be jumped through to make a simple phone call. The somewhat step by step descriptions lent an air of authenticity to the novel that I find missing in some historical narratives that often feel modern or just plain skip the fine details of history rather than weaving the era into the story.
I enjoyed the format of the mystery. It reminded me of Agatha Christie’s Poirot gathering all the suspects in the drawing room and ticking down the list before revealing the culprit along with his brilliant powers of deduction and notice of fine details. I enjoyed it all and wasn’t sure I had figured it out the same time as Heath, but alas great minds think alike. LOL. Looking forward to reading the next installment of this gay historical mystery series.
I found the dialogue in the first couple of chapters to be a stilted, but then the tone either evened out or I got used to it. It does take place in the forties so people would speak with a more formal cadence. It was also a bit wordy in its descriptions of even the most minute details, but at the same time I enjoyed those descriptions, especially those of the time period. For instance, the whole process for making a long-distance phone call, all the operators and relays and discussions on charges. While I’m old enough to be aware of a lot of these details having used a party line as a child, I’m sure that younger readers may not be privy to all the hoops that had to be jumped through to make a simple phone call. The somewhat step by step descriptions lent an air of authenticity to the novel that I find missing in some historical narratives that often feel modern or just plain skip the fine details of history rather than weaving the era into the story.
I enjoyed the format of the mystery. It reminded me of Agatha Christie’s Poirot gathering all the suspects in the drawing room and ticking down the list before revealing the culprit along with his brilliant powers of deduction and notice of fine details. I enjoyed it all and wasn’t sure I had figured it out the same time as Heath, but alas great minds think alike. LOL. Looking forward to reading the next installment of this gay historical mystery series.
June 13, 2022
Death Comes Darkly was an enjoyable story, though with some obvious flaws. The historical setting in 1947 Wisconsin was integrated pretty seamlessly. The characters were well-done, with some fascinating people trapped in a big house by inclement weather, and all except Heath had reasons to hate their host...who of course turns up dead. Some definite Agatha Christie vibes to the set-up.
The mystery itself was fine, though the murder doesn't even take place until after the mid-point of the book (52% through according to my Kindle). There's too much expositional dialogue ("As you know, Bob...") meant to give the reader backstory, but it feels so unnatural in the scene that it takes you out of the fictive dream. I may have rolled my eyes a couple of times. Anyway, it was an enjoyable story overall, and the series is fairly popular, so I might read book two after a while--though there's a lot of good stuff in my TBR pile, so we'll see.
The mystery itself was fine, though the murder doesn't even take place until after the mid-point of the book (52% through according to my Kindle). There's too much expositional dialogue ("As you know, Bob...") meant to give the reader backstory, but it feels so unnatural in the scene that it takes you out of the fictive dream. I may have rolled my eyes a couple of times. Anyway, it was an enjoyable story overall, and the series is fairly popular, so I might read book two after a while--though there's a lot of good stuff in my TBR pile, so we'll see.
June 9, 2022
Dnf'd at 11%. Spoilers ahead:
I'd just come from reading Jeffrey Archer's Harry Clifton series and decided to read something different. This was on my to read list for awhile. The book started ok but it took much too long to get going. I can't help but compare the two books since I'd been reading Archer's books for weeks but this book is much too slow in comparison. The talk with his mother took too long, the talk with Alan took too long but the talk with Bishop on the boat was the final straw. Just too much verbiage without the plot moving forward. I'm now back to Archer on a different series.
I'd just come from reading Jeffrey Archer's Harry Clifton series and decided to read something different. This was on my to read list for awhile. The book started ok but it took much too long to get going. I can't help but compare the two books since I'd been reading Archer's books for weeks but this book is much too slow in comparison. The talk with his mother took too long, the talk with Alan took too long but the talk with Bishop on the boat was the final straw. Just too much verbiage without the plot moving forward. I'm now back to Archer on a different series.
September 18, 2021
A classic whodunnit, very Agatha Christie in feel. No real romance to speak off but does have a gay lead. The story is fine and certainly improves as it goes. The start is a bit clunky and there’s is a lot of explaining and unhelpful back and forth rather than letting the story tell itself naturally. The lead is a bit smug, and his partner is very 2D and mainly just exists to show how smart the lead is with no real character development happening anywhere. Not a bad way to pass a few hours, and I will probably read the sequel but it’s not a game changer.
August 5, 2022
I enjoyed how Pederson creates a 40s world of homophobia and secrecy, yet doesn't ignore on the joy, attraction, and humor between the protagonist and his current love interest. The mystery is engaging, too, with deaths both past and present interwoven into the good ol' "country house" plot that resolves in a satisfying, unexpected way. Another plus is Pederson's attention to small details of 40s technology and products, as well as patterns of speech and manners, that take the reader back to the post World War II era.
July 2, 2025
It was okay. The mystery wasn't very mysterious, and mostly I couldn't figure out why his boyfriend was there (but I also couldn't figure out why the main character was there, either). Worth reading a sequel (for free, from the library).
Also -- as far as I can tell from the internet, this is indeed the first book in the series (there's a prequel now) despite the fact it constantly alludes to a big case where the MC met his bf a few weeks earlier. It's like the Penge Bungalow murders or something, I guess.
Also -- as far as I can tell from the internet, this is indeed the first book in the series (there's a prequel now) despite the fact it constantly alludes to a big case where the MC met his bf a few weeks earlier. It's like the Penge Bungalow murders or something, I guess.
July 18, 2017
I liked this. At times it got kind of slow and somewhat cheezy and during the final reveal at the end I got frustrated with Heath but overall it's a cute fast read. The mystery itself reminds of Agatha Christie meets the Westling Game. I'll definitely read the next and see if I feel more strongly about the series one way or the other
April 24, 2018
Nice, eerie fun in a secluded setting where no one can get out. Multiple reversals and surprises keep you guessing and keep you reading. The historical noir details are spooky and great fun. And there is already another in the series and a third on its way! Dave Pederson has landed with great success!
November 12, 2020
Possibly a 3.5
As a Wisconsinite living abroad, I enjoyed the setting of this 1940’s mystery (Milwaukee detective, with a case set in Lake Geneva). It has some fun twists which keep you guessing. It possibly takes a while to get going, but it is the first in the series so we’re also getting to know some main characters. I definitely want to read more of this series, tho.
As a Wisconsinite living abroad, I enjoyed the setting of this 1940’s mystery (Milwaukee detective, with a case set in Lake Geneva). It has some fun twists which keep you guessing. It possibly takes a while to get going, but it is the first in the series so we’re also getting to know some main characters. I definitely want to read more of this series, tho.
October 30, 2016
** 4.5 Stars **
An old fashioned cozy mystery where the romance takes a backseat. Loved the writing, the historical setting (It's 1947 America) and the very "Agatha Christie-esque" atmosphere. Recommended!
May 23, 2017
I enjoyed this book. Very charming mystery and nice easy read for a Saturday. I look forward to more books from this author!
June 29, 2017
Ho hum, could have been better with more interaction between the detective and policeman lovers.
May 20, 2020
A well written, enjoyable post war mystery, with likable characters.
March 22, 2024
This looks to be the start of what could become a very good series of books. I'm hoping for more character development in the subsequent books.
August 31, 2024
What if Agatha Christie made Poirot a gay police detective in 1947 Milwaukee. Great read. I highly recommend it.
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